A normal 8am start for the Cinnamon team, but not so many bodies around at breakfast as usual – maybe the tourist team had made an early start and were off researching some unknown attraction.
Cinnamon teamed up with the Eco warriors for transport arrangements – which was sort of really cool man!!

Our normal super coach driver was not so efficient this morning and our 11.30am appointment at the Rathna Cinnamon export factory actually turned into a 12.30pm appointment, however no mention was made of our late arrival and we were welcomed with open arms by Prof Runage at the Kamburupitiya plant.

Tea was ordered and Prof Runage asked us to ask what ever questions we wanted about Cinnamon production, pricing, people management, communication and future growth plans. The team were straight into action and key points came out that the team agreed would support the report writing once back in blighty.

The main points coming out from the interview were that Prof Runage is a real hands on MD, he personally walks around all of his factories/plantations on a weekly basis and speaks with his employees, and promotes the asking of questions on his visits. Rathna employ approximately 300 employees of whom 80% are permanent positions, if people fall sick or need medical attention Rathna will continue to support that individual, Prof Runage believes his business success is down to the Rathna employees and this is clearly evident when we walked around the various factories.

It is also quite clear that Rathna have won numerous awards over the years, the most prominent being the national Gold award in 2005 and the ISO award in 2008, although the two trophy cabinets in his office were full and we presume that a new cabinet is on order for the future awards that will be forth coming.

After a tour of the export factory Prof Runage escorted us to one of his Cinnamon collection centres, centres that are in place for small farmers to bring their Cinnamon for sale. Prof Runage weighed the Cinnamon himself and also argued weight reductions due to moisture content – this was almost a throw back to medieval market methods – but enthralling to watch.

From the collection centre Prof Runage arranged lunch at the Eco village – one of the best meals to date, and a meal that Prof Runage insisted on picking up the tab for.

From the Eco village Prof Runage’s Export Manager, who also joined us for lunch, escorted us to one of the Cinnamon plantations, approx 42 acres, where we were shown the planting methods for the Cinnamon plants and then it was on to the factory that produces the Cinnamon quills.

The factory brought together everything the team had researched on Cinnamon quill production and it was refreshing to see the peelers and other workers all in full uniform in a very clean and light working environment.

Last on the agenda for the day wad the viewing of the production method of producing oil from the Cinnamon plant leaves, a method of traditional distillery – but fantastic to actually see the process.

Too much for one day but hey its time to spend a day with the tourists and see some real research in action.!